The holidays can either be considered the most relaxing time of year or the most stressful. It is a time where families and friends gather, gifts are exchanged, and countless desserts are indulged. However, leading to that point of unwinding can be stressful for many, with the balancing of family demands and workplace year–end pressures. Regardless of such amounting pressures, employers should not neglect their responsibilities to employees under the law when it comes to time off during the holidays (i.e. statutory (public) holidays).

The holiday season is often the happiest time of the year, because of time spent with family, gifts and many other things. However, it can also be the most stressful time of the year, especially at work. Deadlines are often tight because of shifting schedules, customers and workloads can be more demanding, and there may be pressure to increase performance to meet end-of-year business goals. Family demands, travel and employment standards public holiday (statutory holiday/general holiday) requirements can also take a toll. Management should not forget what employees are entitled to, and their responsibilities, under the law regarding time off during the holidays. Here is a brief summary:

With the holiday season in full swing, employers are in the midst of the annual balancing act between festive celebration and appropriate workplace conduct. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Here are some tips for planning and hosting a successful and (hopefully) incident free workplace holiday party.

The field of employment law, payroll and human resources kept our bloggers very busy in 2014. However, the holidays are here and it is time to take a well deserved break. We are signing off for 2014 with a list of the top 10 most read posts published in 2014. The issue of providing a doctor’s note and duty to accommodate seem to have been hot topics this year with several blog posts on the topics making it on the list.

With the holiday season fast approaching, many organizations are in the midst of planning their annual holiday parties, meant to recognize the culmination of a year of hard work by employees and celebrate the holiday season. Although this time of year is marked with celebration and provides for a valuable team building opportunity, it can also bring with it particular obligations and potential liabilities for an employer.

The team at First Reference Inc. and First Reference Talks blog wishes everyone a very Happy Holiday Season and all the best for the New Year! / L’Équipe de La Référence et du billet First Reference Talks vous souhaite de belles fêtes et une bonne et heureuse année. In addition, we would like to remind you of the three public/statutory holidays…

The three most read articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with discrimination based on on ethnic background and place of origin, amendments to the Old Age Security regulations, and what you need to remember when hosting company holiday parties.

With the Holiday Season in full gear, employers across the country are planning holiday parties and holiday parties often involve alcohol. This article provides a reminder on Social Host liability whereby employers could become liable for the injuries caused by intoxicated employees to themselves or others during the function or after they have left the function if proper safeguards are not put in place.

The holiday season is upon us! Lights are being strung on houses, trees are going up in family rooms and the snow is beginning to stick to the ground. For most people, this time of year is all about shopping, cooking and baking and hosting in-laws over the holidays, however for employers another thing is probably on your mind; the office holiday party.

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Is 36 months the new 24?Starlene Michel Perhaps employers should focus on Health and Safety, Human Rights, Good Faith, and Investigations instead of looking for shortcuts or complex contracts to cover their... – Feb 04, 6:17 PM